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Whiteley, Goodyear D3122 closing on NHRA championships

 

            LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Oct. 28, 2015) – Pitchers have favorite ballparks. Basketball players have arenas they prefer. Quarterbacks feel more comfortable in some stadiums than others.

            And drag racers have tracks where they feel confident.

            As Annie Whiteley and her YNot Racing team prepare for this weekend’s Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, she leads the NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car National championship standings. Whiteley is looking forward to racing at LVMS this weekend.

            “It’s a very good track for us,” Whiteley said. “We have a lot of good data.”

            The team also has Goodyear tires. Whiteley’s TAFC car is equipped with a set of Goodyear’s D3122 drive tires on the rear axle. The tire, which was introduced into competition this season, has been very successful. Cars equipped with the D3122 have won races in the NHRA’s TAFC and Top Alcohol Dragster categories as well as in NHRA Pro Mod.

            “It goes down the track,” Whiteley said. “The guys (on her crew) are happy.”

            The D3122 measures 34.5 inches tall and 17 inches across the tread face. It mounts on a 16-inch rim.

            Annie Whiteley is not the first family member to race for a national championship. Husband Jim Whiteley is a multiple-time champ in the Top Alcohol Dragster. Jim Whiteley now races in the NHRA Pro Mod category, as does son Steven Whiteley. Jim and Steven also race on Goodyear tires.

              “It’s awesome,” Annie Whiteley said of her chance to win her own national title. “I hope we can pull it off.”

            Mike Janis, who can win the Pro Mod title with a good showing at Las Vegas, also races on the D3122. Joey Severance, who sits second in the national TAD standings and can clinch the championship this weekend, also races on the D3122.

            Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series sportsman racing starts Thursday at LVMS. The Alcohol and Pro Mod cars begin racing Friday, the same day as the professional Mello Yello Drag Racing Series teams.

            The sportsman teams in all Lucas Oil categories have their choice of tiremakers.

Goodyear employs about 69,000 people at manufacturing plants and facilities in 22 nations. Based in Akron, Ohio, Goodyear is among the largest tiremakers in the world and is the worldwide leader in race tire innovation.